Calcium oxide-chromium oxidezirconium oxide refractory



Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES CALCIUM OXIDE-CHROMIUM OXIDE- ZIRCONIIM OXIDE REFRACTORY Gordon R. Pole, near Sheffield, Ala.

No Drawing. Application November 21, 1938,

' Serial No. 241,636

3 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) y me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to the art of making highly refractory compositions and articles of manufacture.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a high melting point refractory which will withstand the corrosive action of basic slags and other basic melts, such as fused rock phosphate. Another object of this invention is to produce a calcium oxide refractory with physical and chemical characteristics such that the structure of the refractory will not be materially affected by repeated treatment at high temperatures. Still another object of this invention is to provide a calcium oxide refractory which is also stable in the presence of water vapor at relatively low temperatures. Other objects of this invention include the provision of a rapid and relatively economical procedure for the production of a stable refractory from commercial calcium oxide suitable for use at relatively high temperatures.

I have discovered a new high melting point refractory, and articles of manufacture produced from the same, made by firing a mixture of substantial proportions of calcium oxide, chromium oxide and zirconium oxide with proportions such that the composition is characterized by its resistance to hydration in air or in boiling water and its resistance to fused basic materials, such as rock phosphate, at temperatures of the order of 1500 to 1550 C. The preferred composition contains calcium oxide, chromium oxide and zirconium oxide in the ratio of 50 mol percent, 25 mol percent and 25 mol percent.

One example for the production of highly refractory material according to my invention is given for the production of highly refractory crucibles. A mixture of 30 percent by weight (51 mol percent) of calcium oxide of approximately 200 mesh, 35 percent by weight (22 mol percent) of chromium oxide of approximately 200 mesh and 35 percent by weight (27 mol percent) of zirconium oxide of approximately 200 mesh, was drypressed in crucible forms and the pressed mixture fired at 1605 C. The crucibles resulting therefrom were found to be resistant to hydration both in air and in boiling water. Rock phosphate charged to the crucibles was fused, the melt poured and the process repeated with nine separate charges at temperatures between 1530 and 1560 C. with the result that the crucibles showed high resistance to corrosion by the fused rock phosphate.

A second examplefor the production of highly refractory material according to my invention is given for the production of highly refractory crucibles with a modification of the procedure given in the example above. A mixture of 30 percent by weight (51 mol percent) of calcium oxide of approximately 200 mesh, 35 percent by weight (22 mol percent) of chromium oxide of approximately 200 mesh and 35 percent by weight (27 mol percent) of zirconium oxide of approximately 260 mesh, was dry-pressed into cylindrical shapes and fired to 1605 C. The fired shapes were crushed to a size that would produce a minimum of voids when subsequently dry-pressed. in crucible forms. The fine refractory material was moistened with between 1 percent and 5 percent by weight of water, dry-pressed into crucible forms and the pressed crucibles fired to 1500 to 1605 C. The crucibles showed substantially less shrinkage than those produced according to the first example and they exhibited the same resistance to hydration and corrosion by fused rock phosphate.

The procedure used in the preceding examples was repeated using 25 percent by weight (45 mol percent) of calcium oxide, 37.5 percent by weight (25 mol percent) of chromium oxide and 37.5 percent by weight (30 mol percent) of zirconium oxide and using 35 percent by weight (57 mol percent) of calcium oxide, 32.5 percent by weight (19 mol percent) of chromium oxide and 32.5 percent by weight (24 mol percent) of zirconium oxide with the production of articles which exhibited substantially the same characteristics as those indicated in the preceding examples.

It is evident that there are numerous factors which will influence conditions for the most satisfactory operation of my invention, the actual limits of which cannot be established except by a detailed study of each set of raw materials and the intermediate and finished products involved.

Calcium oxide melts at approximately 2572 C., chromium oxide melts at approximately 2300 C. and zirconium oxide melts at approximately 2687 C. However, no melting point diagram has been produced to indicate the compositions corresponding to eutectic mixtures or the probable presence of any compound or compounds.

I have found that mixtures of calcium oxide, chromium oxide and zirconium oxide corresponding in general to the ratio of 50 mol percent of calcium oxide, 25 mol percent of chromium oxide and 25 mol percent of zirconium oxide, produce a refractory which is resistant to hydration at low temperatures and is resistant to the corrosion of fused basic material, as represented by rock phosphate at high temperatures. The results obtained indicate that a composition containing calcium oxide, chromium oxide and zirconium oxide in proportions corresponding approximately to to 60 mol percent of calcium oxide, 30 to 20 mol percent of chromium oxide and 30 to 20 mol percent of zirconium oxide will produce a most satisfactory product. The exact limits of the ratio of calcium oxide to chromium oxide to zirconium oxide have not been definitely established but as long as the composition contains a very substantial proportion of all three of these materials a satisfactory product which will not hydrate in water and which is resistant to the corrosion of fused rock phosphate can be obtained. Calcium oxide may be used directly, but it is preferable to use the calcium oxide in the form of calcium hydroxide in order to avoid hydration of the former, particularly where drypressed unfired articles containing calcium oxide may be required to stand in a moist atmosphere for an appreciable time before firing. Likewise, high-grade commercial materials are preferred for the productionof the refractory made according to my invention for reasons well known in the art.

I have found that raw materials in the proportions indicated may either be fired to approximately 1600 (3., to form a highly refractory composition, dry-pressed in the form of crucibles, shapes or other articles of manufacture and fired to approximately 1600 C., or the fired refractory compositions may be crushed, dry-pressed into such forms and fired to temperatures of the order of 1500 to 1600 C. The latter procedure is preferable in the manufacture of large sized refractories since the preliminary firing produces a dense body and the use of such dense body in the production of articles reduces the shrinkage of the latter during processing to the minimum.

The refractory produced according to my invention is adapted to .be used where resistance to high melting point basic melts is required. Throughout the description reference has been made to the resistance of this refractory to fused rock phosphate. This index has been used since it has been found that fused rock phosphate containing approximately percent by weight of calcium oxide is one of the most corrosive of fused basic materials which may be encountered at temperatures of the order of 1500 to 1550 C.

It will be seen,v therefore, that this invention actually may be carried out by the use of various modifications and changes Without departing from its spirit and scope.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture a pressed and fired mixture substantially consisting of calcium oxide, chromium oxide and zirconium oxide in proportions correspondingapproximately to mol percent, 25 mol percent and 25 mol percent respectively.

2. A high melting point refractory resistant to corrosion of fused rock phosphate which consists of a fired mixture of 40 to mol percent of calcium oxide, 30 to 20 mol percent of chromium oxide and 30 to 20 mol percent of zirconium oxide.

3. A high melting point refractory resistant to corrosion of basic material which consists of a fired mixture of substantially calcium oxide, chromium oxide and zirconium oxide in proportions corresponding approximately to the eutectic mixture containing about 50 mol percent, 25 mol percent and 25 mol percent respectively.

GORDON R. POLE. 

